Unleashing The Potential Of Our Special Kids With Surfers for Autism

Yesterday was a very special day for our family as we attended the First Annual Surfers for Autism event in Daytona Beach Shores.

It was a very special day for us because we finally found a physical activity that my son truly enjoys and boosts his self-esteem. He has been fairly challenged in all sports especially those team ball sports...

So yesterday was his “WOW” day. The look of pure joy in his eyes is engraved in my memory forever.

Seeing all of those kids given a chance to enjoy the thrills of surfing thanks to 100% dedicated professional surf instructors volunteering their time for them was priceless. Never was there a single criticism, complaint or judgmental look but only cheers and positive vibes from a crowd of hundreds.

Once in the water all of those kids no longer looked so “disabled” but very much “abled”. These events are examples of inclusion at the highest level.

It was December of 2007 when a simple idea was presented to a small
group of South Florida surfers by a member whose life and family have
been touched by autism. The concept of introducing children on the
autism spectrum to surfing took hold and the group began planning for
the inaugural Deerfield Beach event. California-based Surfers Healing,
an organization taking children with ASD surfing, was having great
success and Florida would soon follow suit.

At a typical SFA event, surfers are provided a safe environment where two to four highly skilled and trained surf instructors carefully guide
them into waves. Surfers and their families are treated like rock stars and enjoy a day filled with a range of activities including stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, live music, face-painting, games, bounce houses, fire engine tours and much more. A catered lunch is also provided, all at no cost.

Watching my son being so comfortable with Tom, his surf instructor, lifted all of my constant mommy’s worries brought by autism on that very special day. He trusted Tom completely so I did not have to be glued to the surf board. I could actually watch them both from a distance having a great time. With each wave my son’s smile grew bigger.

He was feeling so comfortable with the water that I felt like I had to push his limits a little more. I just knew that he could stand on that surf board but he needed a little extra motivation. I kept motioning him to “stand up” but he kept ignoring me. I kept cheering him “up, up, up” but he kept ignoring me more. He was having way too much fun riding his board horizontally. At some point he said to Tom “Wait, let me yell at my mom first”.

Being at the Ponce de Leon Inlet reminded me of one of my son’s numerous passions or call them obsessions - galleons, treasures and conquistadores. So I started bargaining with him ‘Look, if you stand on that board you will win Ponce’s helmet”. He had wanted a conquistador helmet for ages... Go figure. With the perspective of winning that coveted prize he stood up and rode the waves like a pro... TEN TIMES! I then told him that we could “upgrade” the plastic conquistador helmet to a metal one if he rode the waves ten more times standing... So he did it and then quit.

It does take a village to raise a child with an autism spectrum disorder. Parents alone simply cannot do it. That village is Surfers for Autism.

I am pretty sure that my son will be chasing Tom down the beach at the next event.

I am honored to support in a small way Surfers for Autism with Wines for Autism.

Cheers to Surfers for Autism and to all of its amazing Volunteers for unleashing our special kids’ potential!